Key Points:On 2-1 defender keep attacker on one side and deny the pass across making it a 2-2 with D and G. On the 3-1 attack with speed and defender delay the play cutting the ice in half.

Description:1. F1 pass behind to F2 and attack 2-1 vs D1.2. F3 pass to D2 who takes a shot from the point while F1-F2 screen.3. F3 join F1 and F2 with a new puck and they skate into the neutral zone and regroup with D2.4. F1-F2-F3 attack 3-1 vs D1.5. D2 skate to the other net and defend a new 2-1 vs. F4 and F5.

Always face the puck and give a target. Pass and go for a return pass. Stick to stick passes. Hard and flat wrist passes.

Description:

1. Players are in four spots. At each blue and goal line.2. Player 1 -2 leave and skate full speed in a circle making as many passes as they can.3. Pass to each other and the four corners.4. Shoot and follow the shot.4. After a certain amount of passes or on the whistle attack the net and shoot.5. Maximum of one pass allowed while attacking the net.

This is a little video I forgot about. My son attended and played for the Edge School for Athletes and I did three practices a week to pay his fee while I was coaching and teaching at college. Players like Taylor Hall and Tyler Myers have attended the Edge. It is an introduction to stick handling. Jeff Hill was the varsity coach at the Edge. He was captain of Michigan Tech. He demonstrates how to hold the stick. Some young players have the stick poking out past the top of their hand and some rotate the top hand so the thumb is almost pointing up. We are showing to hold the stick with the fingers and the top of the stick in the butt of the hand. The little finger does fine adjustments when stick handling as well. The top hand makes the finer moves while the bottom hand follows but moves up and down the shaft.

We move onto the ice and I had a player with me who was mirroring what I did and the video was supposed to be of him but they did a lot with both of us. The theme of the on ice was to roll the wrists and move the puck around the body with the top hand away from the body and not locked on one side like many players do.

This is the basis for puck handling and then passing and shooting. If a player doesn't hold the stick properly or has a dominant bottom hand it is like having a square tire on a car; 'it won't run smoothly.

Continuing with puck handling I am posting links from this site that go from stationary individual practice to skating with the puck with multiple balls and pucks to more advanced moves. The videos are from my practices with youth, college and a pro player to international coaches from Russia, Finland, Sweden.

My good friend Juhani Wahlsten (Juuso) of Turku, Finland resent me this article he wrote in the early 90's. It is about his hockey background where he learned the game outside in Kuopio a little town where they had moved to avoid the bombing in Helsinki. Hockey was a new game there. Juuso went on to play 11 years with the National Team and 3 Olympics. He is in the Finnish Sports Hall of Fame and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame about six years ago along with the Swede Kent Nilsson and Russian Petrov. I think the Finns view Juuso like Canadians view Gordie Howe.

When Juuso retired from playing he taught PE in the school system and hockey classes at two sports schools in Turku. Virta, Koivu, Kipprusoff where some of his students. He also coached in Finland, Spain and Germany. Juuso speaks 7 languages. When I was with him in Vienna and we were teaching the Austrian coaches the ABC system he did the classes and I did the ice time. He taught in German, talked with me in english and with a Finn who was coaching there in Finnish. I remember him going to France to give a seminar in of course French, he spoke Spanish to the Spaniards and Swedish to the Swedes and so on. He is an INTERNATIONAL PERSON.

Juuso negotiated contracts for the first Finns to come and play in the World Hockey Association, both his sons were drafted by the NHL and had long European pro careers (Jali also played in the AHL). Scotty Bowman asked him to be his assistant coach in Buffalo and he would have been the first European NHL coach but he stayed in Finland.

I have pasted the article below and will update what he has done since the article at the end. ----------------------------------------------------------

Key Points:This game demands that the puck carrier dangle and beat the opponents with dekes, fakes, change of pace, pivots while teammates screen, pick and go for rebounds.

Description:1. Play a cross ice game of 2-2 to 5-5.2. Extra players line up along the blue line.3. Shifts 20-30" and pass to teammate coming on on the whistle.4. Coach put in a new puck on a goal.5. Rule is NO PASSING.6. Line mates support by setting screens and picks and going for rebounds.7. Keep score.

Key Points:Goalie use the edges to skate laterally and then diagonally to get square to the puck. Line up the puck with middle of the backside to the middle of the back of the net.

Description:1. Player 1 and 2 each have 3 pucks above the face off dots.2. Goalie skate from near to far post and then diagonally out and square to the puck.3. Take shots from alternate sides starting when the goalie is moving out.4. After making the stop the goalie track the rebound.

Key Points:Goalie uses the inside edge to push across the goal crease and get square to the next shooter.

Description:1. Each shooter has 3 pucks at the face off dot.2. Player 1 shoot.3. Goalie make the save and then pivot and push off the inside edge to get across the crease and square to Player 2.4. Player 2 shoot.5. Repeat 3 times on each side.

Key Points:The purpose is to attack as quickly as possible and pass and shoot while skating.

Description:1. Start from one end and when everyone is gone go the other way.2. Attackers 1 and 2 leave from above the hash marks.3. Defender 1 is inside the top of the circle with his stick upside down start forward and turn to back skating.4. Defender 2 start from below the circle and back check.5. Attacker 1 and 2 race down the ice to score and only ONE PASS is allowed.6. Keep score.

Key Points:Get open on transition to offense and cover pass receiver on transition to defense.Goalie control rebounds.

Description:- Cross ice game of 2-2 with one Joker from each team on the side. Extra players on the blue line keep the puck in. Rotation is: Jokers activate with one new player and the second new player becomes a Joker.Organization- Play 15-25".- Pass to the teammate in the middle who can only shoot or pass.- Defense ignores joker and covers the pass receiver.

Game works on offensive (role 2) and defensive support (role 4) and has intense battles.

This game is the basic template and the coach can modify rules like only forehand passes, only saucer, only one timers, maximum 2" with the puck, only one pass, backward skating only, in other words any skill can be isolated.

Key Points:Keep the hands away from the body and follow through at the target. On saucer passes the puck rolls from the heel to the middle of the stick. Receive with the stick square to the puck and hands away from the body.When saucering the puck have the players think of throwing a frisbee. The motion across the body and then projecting the disk is the same as rolling the puck from the heel to the middle of the blade and then follow through at the target.

Description:1. Partners pass to each other.2. Focus on the four phases of projection.a. wind-up - bring the puck back.b. force production - move it forward with the stick blade rotating heel to middle.c. crucial instant - release with a snap of the wrist.d. follow through - the stick blade follows the direction of the puck. Receive with stick square3. When practicing the saucer pass have a target for it to land on. In the diagram try to drop the puck onto the red line.4. Progress to passing while skating.

Key Points:Make crisp passes and then skate and give a target. Hard fakes and try to beat the D. D always play the attack from the defensive side and get a close gap as soon as possible. D tie up the F stick after the shot and F follow the shot for a rebound. Always finish drills with the D tying up the stick after the shot and then pass a loose puck to the line up or a coach. The forward always go for a rebound.

Description:1. RF1 and BF1 pass to the opposite colour D1's.2. RD1 and FD1 pass back to the opposite colour F1 and mirror their skating across.3. RF1 and BF1 pass to the opposite colour F2 who return the pass.4. RF1 attack vs. BD1 and BF1 attack vs. RD1.5. Both forward and defense play the rebound. If the D get it they should pass to the last forward lined up at the blue line to finish the play.

Key Points:Defense get to the big ice before making the breakout pass. On the 2-1 make the first pass early so there is a second play. If the defender gets the puck pass to the defense waiting to start the next play.

Description:1. D1's dump the puck in and get it.2. F1's funnel and then get open on boards.3. F2's take a shot on the opposite net and circle back.4. D1's pass to F1's on the wall.5. F1's pass to F2's in nzone.6. F1's and F2's attack original net vs. D1's.7. Repeat with the next group.

Key Points:Face the puck, keeping the hands away from the body and stick square to the puck.

Description:1. Players are lined up at the blue lines at each end.2. Player 1 exchange cross ice passes with player 2.3. After the second pass player 1 skate backward into the neutral zone to receive the third pass.4. Player 1 attack the net and shoo-rebound.5. Player 1 either: circle back to rebound for player 2, exchange passes with player 2, screen the goalie for player 2, defend a 1-1 vs. player 2.6. Player 2 repeat the drill with player 3.

Key Points:Forward face the puck and defense get between the dots before passing. Do everything with the feet moving.

Description:1 - F1 pass to D1.2 - F2 get open on boards and get pass from D1.3 - F2 give and go with F1.4 - F2 pass to D1 on the other side.5 - F2 get open for return pass from D1.6 - F2 attack and shoot.7 - D1 follow for a pass to the point.8 - F2 get a puck from corner and pass to D1.9 - D1 shoot while F2 screen.

B6 2-0 Middle Drive - Czech U20Key Points:Attack with speed and hit the net and the middle player be in good position for a rebound. This is a drill to warm up the goalies.

Description:- 1 and 2 leave from diagonal corners at each end.- 1 is in the middle and pass wide to 2.- 1 turn and skate to the other side and turn and middle drive the net.- 2 continue down the wide lane and shoot then rebound.- If there is a rebound finish the play.

Key Points:Move the puck to everyone in the group facing he puck at all times. Goalies warm up with the coaches. Do this instead of aimlessly skating around the ice with a puck at the start of practice.

Description:1. Players skate around in their 5 man units.2. One touch pass the puck to each other.3. Coaches warm up the goalies at one end.4. Do this for about 3 - 5 minutes.5, Blocks of 5 players could move onto 3-2 Keepaway.

Key Points:D move away from pressure and pass to the middle as much as possible. C swing laterally through the top half of the circle about a stick length behind the D. W's stay on the boards. F2 middle drive.

Description:1. Coach dump in a puck and call how many forecheckers.2. Blue offensive team break out 5-3 or 5-4.3. In NZ rush is 5 on 2.4. Attack with middle drive and D1 joining the rush.5. Play 5-2 until the rush is finsihed.6. Coach dump in a new puck and call out whether one or two forecheckers stay in.7. Red forwards breakout with original Red D1 and D2.8. Next blue forward line follow the attack and wait at the blue line for the coach dump in.

Key Points:Double swing breakout. Usually C swing to forehand side and wings stretch at far blue line or red line and far blue line. High rotation with the F and D switching.

Description:1. Five players wait in the neutral zone and D1 dump the puck in.2. D1 skate up the middle lane while F1 and D2 swing to each side.3. F2 and F3 are at the far blue line on each side.4. D1 read the play and decide to carry or pas the puck.5. Practice the 5-0 pplay with a high rotation between F1 and D1.

Key Points:Shoot while moving and hit the net. Forwards screen and tip after shooting. Goalie must battle to see through the screen and control the rebounds.

Description:1. F1 skate around the top of the circle and shoot - rebound - screen.2. F2 skate around the top of the circle and shoot - rebound - screen.3. D1 skate along the blue line inside tthe dot and shoot.4. D2 skate along the blue line inside tthe dot and shoot.

Key Points:Forward see the puck at all times. Make hard passes. One forward without the puck drive hard to the net. Look for rebounds. Attack with speed and hit the net.

Description:1. Do this in five player units or 3 F and 2 D.2. F1 leave and pass to D1 who hinges with D2 .3. F1 get a stretch pass from D2.4. F2 and F3 cross and drop and attack vs. D2 in the same direction.5. F1-F2-F3 attack the other way vs. D1 while D2 backchecks.6. Next group of 3 F and 2 D repeat in the other direction.

Key Points:Attack with one in each lane with speed. Two players go hard to the net and one trail making a triangle. Fight for rebounds. Defenders delay the play and protect the middle. One D take attacker to the net and other D play a 2-1 on the puck side.

Description:1. F1 leave and pass to F2 who skates up the middle while F1 and F3 cross to wide lanes.2. F1-F2-F3 attack 3-2 vs. D1-D2.3. The next group of 5 wait in the neutral zone to repeat in the other direction.

PROGRESSIONS: A. After the 3-2 is practiced start the next rush with the defenders making a pass to the forwards waiting above the circles. B. Then progress to a Transition Game with the Red D defending vs. blue F and the D who makes the breakout pass join the rush making it a 3-3.

Key Points: Have the stick back early ready to shoot. Keep the stick in contact with the ice and in line with the target for as long as possible. This is a drill done all over the world. One timers are the key to a good power play and scoring on the rush.

Description: 1. Player 1 pass to any of players 2-5. 2. Shooters try to one time the shot. 3. Shooter must adjust their position to get square to the puck. 4. Pass with different speeds and also make imperfect passes to force the shooter to adjust. HIT THE NET

This video is from a hockey camp I did 2010 in Jihlava, Czech Republic. They have been doing off ice training far longer than we have in Canada so I told the coaches to do what they usually do and I learned from them. You don't need elaborate equipment and fancy facilities. I will post other off ice workouts in the next while as examples.------------------------------

O - Split Vision Game of Soccer and Basketball

Key Points:Play soccer football and basketball at the same time. Players have to have split vision and be ready to use their feet and then their hands to control the ball.

Description:1. Play shifts of 3 minutes.2. Rotate on the whistle.3. Players control the basketball with their hands and soccer ball with the feet.4. Keep score.

Key Points:Use a stick with no blade as the barrier between two players and do partner exercises with competition.

Description:1. Partners mirror each others movements.2. Partners fake at each other and read the body language to go the other way around the stick.3. Partner play tag with one chasing and the free. They must run around the stick to tag and then that partner is it.

Key Points:Keep the hands away from the body and follow through at the target. The puck rotates toward the toe of the blade. Hands should be relaxed and the stick blade square to the puck. Backhands have to be taken from the middle to the heel of the blade of the blade adjusted to be square with the curve.

Description:1. Start with stationary partner passing alternating between forehand and back hand. Use wrist passes and focus on the giving and receiving being quiet.2. Spoke pass with two pucks in groups of 3 or 4. One player takes passes from the other players. Alternate forehand and backhand.

Key Points:Keep the feet moving and shoot. Follow the shot for a rebound.

Description:A. 1 leave and exchange the puck twice with 2 while circling wide.B. 2 make a third pass to 1.C. 1 skate in and shoot from the wide lane.D. Repeat but circle inside to outside and shoot from the middle.E. After shooting 1 circle back and rebound for the next shooter.

Key Points:Attacker use head and shoulder fakes, protect the puck to get to the net for a shot. Defender stay on the defensive side and play a tight gap and block the attacker from getting to the scoring area.Description:1. Players line up outside of the blue line.2. One attacker in each corner and one in the middle at the blue line.3. One defender starts about 3 metres in front of the attacker and they play 1 on 1.4. Coach pass to one corner, then the other corner and then the middle player attack with a puck.5. After the three 1-1’s the coach shoots in a fourth puck and the players compete 3 on 3.

Key Points:Face the puck on the breakout and shoot while skating. Follow the shot for the rebound. Only have one player screenwhile the other be at the side for a shot pass and rebound. After F1 passes he should spin to create space betweenhim and F2.

Description:1. F1 and F2 leave from the middle and pass to D1 who was against the boards.2. D1 pivot then pass to either F1 or F2 and follow them up the ice.3. F1 pass to F2 (or F2 to F1) and F2 attack and shoot, rebound and screen.4. F1 spin after passing then get a pass from the coach and shoot, rebound.5. F1 screen and F2 move to the side for a shot pass.6. D1 get a pass from the coach and take a shot from the point.7. All hustle back to the line up.